Education Minister appeals to striking university administrators for a one-month window to resolve issues

The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has appealed to striking university administrators to give the government one month to work towards resolving the concerns that led to their industrial action.

The Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA) and the Technical University Senior Administrators Association of Ghana (TUSAAG) began the strike over what they describe as disparities in Market Premium and other allowances between senior non-teaching staff and their counterparts in teaching positions at public universities.

The action has disrupted administrative activities at some tertiary institutions and renewed concerns over the remuneration and conditions of service of university administrators.

The unions are demanding the resolution of what they consider inequities in the payment of Market Premium and related allowances, particularly when compared with benefits received by senior teaching staff.

Despite previous engagements with government institutions, the disagreement remained unresolved, prompting the two associations to embark on the industrial action.

At a meeting with representatives of the striking unions on Monday, August 17, Mr Iddrisu appealed for more time to allow the government to examine the issues and work towards a settlement.

He disclosed that the Ministry of Education was engaging the Ministry of Finance on the matter, adding that the Finance Ministry required verified data on the number of affected employees and the financial implications of the demands before any decision could be taken.

The Minister therefore urged the unions to provide the necessary information to facilitate the process.

“The Deputy Minister for Finance, he said, even when GTEC wrote to you [the striking unions], one of you in your writing, you copied him [the Deputy Minister for Finance], they asked for a validated audit of the numbers to pay. Give me one month from today, but I need the data.”

Mr Iddrisu’s appeal is expected to provide room for further discussions between government and the unions as efforts continue to resolve the dispute.

A resolution of the outstanding issues would pave the way for the restoration of normal administrative operations at the affected public universities.